Planoqraph co



M. M. CRAM.

PROFILE MEASURING AND RECORDING DEVICE..

APPLlcATloN man Nov. 25, Isla 1,308,580. n Patented July 1, 1919.

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l llil M- M. CRAM.

Pnorlu mAsuRmG AND RECORDING nevica. APPLICATION FILED NOV. 25. 1918.

Patented July 1, 1919.

3 SHEETS-SHEET 2 Gaim,

INVENTORl WITNESSES TMR COLUMBIA PLANOGRAPM C0.. WASHINGTON. D. c.

M. M. CRAM.

raorlLE-mEAsusmc AND RECORDING DEvlcE.

APPLICATION FILED NOV. 2b, 1918- Patented July 1, 1919.

ATTORNEY THB COLUMBIA PLANOCIAPH C0., WASHINGTON D. C

.Spinnin STATES PATENT, OFFICE n l' MARSHALL MOSES CRAM, 0F NoR'rIr MANKATO, MINNESOTA.

f PROFILE MEAsURING AND RECORDING DEVICE.

' To all whom imag/concern: Be it'known that I, MARSHALL ML CRAM, a-citizen of the United States, residing at fNorthA Mankato, in the county of Nicollet andfState of Minnesota, have invented a new anduseful Profile Measuring and Recording Device,l of which the following is a speciiication".y I

g This' invention has reference "to profile measuring and recording devices and is an improvement` upon the profile measuring and recording` device shown anddescribed inIietters Patent Number 987,863, granted l temeon March 28, 1911. )'15 The object of theinvention is-to'provide i anfinstrument of simple and eflicient construction for producing cross sections, profiles and mapsfof small areas vof land by "automaticallyftracingupon a sheet of paper the,` 'profile of the `surface over whicha target is carried.l f In aecordancewiththe invention a tablet *upon which the tracing is made does not oscillate but is held rigidly whilea part ,ofthe instrument .that carries the marking implement, which may be'a pencil, is oscil-4 latedoil swung up and' down by the operator tomaintain sights on the pencil carrying part f ofthe instrument in line with the targetfupon the rod as the latter is carried upand down "as lope or over elevations or into depressions thesurface. In this manner 4the 1 centerof the instrument, the point ofthe penjcilv and a point oni the target are always 'in ya straight line. 'In operatingthe instrument, 'there is first produced upon the tablet n ,byfV the @leveledv instrument straight mark f," representing a level and then by a return t r17.1.0 to thefirst position and propelling the pencil byffthe'rnovingtargetjand rod, keepingthe rdperlysightedf'upon'the target, there is lfilegofthesurfaceover whlchl the Vtarget and .rod arei moved. Inr this ,wraiy",I the instrument autpmaticfally plats-the contour, fcross sec- ESOJ "vations and the platting of these elevations Vfbffrthepencil producing the 'straight mark i ofthe instrument carrying thepen'cil reduced' another. Vmark indicating the ipro` v t f tionor"A profile v ofthe surface over which it" l is used and effects saving 'off-calculation s neef The area included ben i Specification of Letters Patent. i Patent-.ed July 1, 191.9.; Application filed Novembe25, 1918. Serial No. 264,019. i l i 'l and the result is used in computing the cubic yards of c ut or fill. 1

The invention will be vbest understood 4 fromvv a consideration` of theA following detailed descriptiontaken in conneetionwith the accompanying drawings forming part of this specification, with the understanding. however, that the invention is not confined to any strictconformity with theshowing of the drawings. but may be changed and modified so long as such changes and modiications mark nomaterial departure from the salient features lof the invention asexpressed in the appendedclaims.

In the drawings Figure 1- is a perspective view of the head of 'the instrument. 'y

.F ig. 2 is a plan view'of the pencil-carryingland feeding frame. Y

Fig. 3 is a section on ythe line 3-3 of Fig. 2;

Fig. 1- lis a diagrammatic view illustrating the manner of using the' instrument.

Fig. 5 is a detail View, partly in section and partly in elevation, showing a modified form of gearing between the drive sheave and the feed screw.

Referring to the drawings, there is shown in Figs. 1 and el a1 tripod head 1 provided with the usual leveling screws 2 and mounted upona tripod 3 shown 1n Ifig. 4l. Since jthe tripod with, its head may follow the usual'custom of such structures as employed in surveying instruments, no particular description or detailed illustration of the parts making lup the, tripod or tripod headl is needed. Moreover, there is shown in Fig. 4

a leveling rod 41 provided with an adjustable target, ,both of customary construction and hence needing no particular description. t Mounted yon the tripodhead l is an upstanding U-frame 6 having Aa swivel connection 7 with the tripod head permitting theturning of theframe on the tripod head about any upright axis.` The frame 6 is also lprovided with'levels 8, 9 respectively, is customary in surveying instruments.

Between theuppervcr free ends of the legs of the frame 6 there. is` mounted another frame v10 shown `as of somewhat elongated rectangular shape. bars `1l, 12 between which is located an intermediate bar 13 fast in the end bars of This frame has side.

the frame and parallel with the Side bar 11 but spaced a sufficient distance therefrom to accommodate certain structures. About midway of the length Aof the side ba'rv11 there is journaled in said side bar and the intermediate bar 13 an arbor 14 prolonged through the upper end of the adjacent leg of the frame'G and terminating in a squared portion 15 to receive a winding key. The arbor 14 carries a coiled spring 16 and a spring drum 17 at one end of which there is secured a gear wheel 18 mounted to turn onv the arbor 14. The usual winding `pa'wl' 11 and'intermediate bar 13, is a drum 22.

with a pinion 23 fast thereto. Meshing with the pinion 23 and with the gear wheel extension 38 directed avf'ay from the side.y

a bevel pinion 29 meshing 18 is an idler pinion 24 mounted on the side bar 11, whereby rotative movement of the gear wheel 18 imparts movement to the drum 22 through the idler pinion 24 and the otheripinion 23 fast to the drum.v

Mounted in the frame 10 between the side Vbars 11 and 13 but on the opposite side of the gear wheel 18 is a sheave 25 fast on a shaft 26 journaled in the bars 11 and 13 and extending through the bar 13 toward the other side bar 12, the shaft 26 there carrying a bevel pinion 27.

Journaled at the ends in the end niem-` bers of the frame 10 and extending between them is a screw rod 28 onwhich is secured with the bevel pinion 26 so that on rotating the pinion 29 the screw rod 28 participates in the rotation.

Mounted on the Vscrew 28 is a nut 30 provided with upstanding lugs 31, 32 .embracf ing a rod 33 carried b v and eXtending between the'end bars of the frameilO and in spaced vparallel relation with the side. bar 12. The lugs 31 and sulii'ciently embrace the rod 33 to hold the nut 30 against rotative movements but-permit'it to slide freely along Vthe rod 33, wherefore, on rotating the ,screw 28 the nut 30 is fed in one direction or the other, as the case maybe,.by .the screw.

Mounted to slide alongV the side bar 12 is a carriage 34 having a projection or lug 35 thereon in the path of the stud 32.` y Fast to the carriage34 is a hood 36 overhanging the l u led on the other endbaroffthe frame 10 is side bar 12 and fast to the hood outside of the `frame 10 is one end of an arm 37, the other end of Ywhich is free andihas an angle bar12. Carried by the hood oneend ersed by the'strand.

bracket 42 carried by the arm 37. The fin- 0'er Springl 39to move its free end against the normal tendency of the spring, which tendency is to move away from" the arm 37.

Mounted to slide on the angle extension 38 40 is `so positioned as to engage the fr is a sleeve 43 constituting a holder for a pencil 44. The free end ofthe spring 39 is forked as shown at 45, and embraces the sleeve 43 which has notches 46 therein Vto receive the fork.

Secured to the side bar 11 outside of the frame 10 are the ends of an arc 47 so located that theV center of the arc coincides with the shaft or arbor 14. The arc 47 and the frame 16 participate in rocking movements about the axis of the arbor 14 as a center, and a clamp screw 48 is mounted on the corresponding leg of the frame 6 in position to engage the arc 47 and hold the frame 10 in any desired position of angular adjustment.

Applied to that leg of the frame 6 secured to the side member 12 is a slide 49 provided with a clamp screw 50 by means of which the slide may be made fast to the legof the frame 6 carrying` it, wherefore, the frame 6v being an upright frame, the slide 49 may be positioned at any desired height alongthe frame 6.V T he slide 49 car-` ries an arm 51 projecting therefrom away from the frame 6 and at the outer end the arm 51 carries a tablet'support 52 upstandingV therefrom and arranged parallel with the side 12 of the frame 10. Adapted to the support 52 -is .a vtablet 53 on which may be secured a sheet 54 of paper across which the pencil 44 may be caused to travel in such manner asvto make a mark upon the paper sheet. v

Fixed at one end to and wound upon the drum 22 is a strand 55 of flexible wire or other material, this strand continuing Yto and about the sheave 25'and then-returning over the drum 22 and through a hole 56 in a plateV 57 upstandingvfrom one end rbar of the `frame 10, such end bar being the plying it to the rod 4. The upper and lower C runs of the. strand 55 areV supported, adja-k centto the sheave A25,:by a guide strip 59 ca rriedby yan appropriate part oftheside bar V11 fand' "provided with Y holes 66 trav- The Vplate 57 has a peep hole/*61 and erect'-V 63 arearranged in aV line parallel with the travelof the pencil 44;, 'Y

A dog or catchV 64 rlcarried biyianA arm 65,1,V

whichV may be made fast to the bai-13, isfso 'positionedas' torengagethe flanges of the drum l22 to prevent a too sudden rewinding ofthe strand or line 55 should it be accidentally disconnected from the rod 4. The 4dog 64 is shown thrown back out of the way in Fig. 1 and in engaging position in Fig. 3.

When it is desired to use the instrument the tripod is set up in the usual way and the frames 6 and 10 are leveled. It is to be assumed that a sheet 54 of paper has been applied to the tablet 53 and held there by buttons, or thumb tacks, or in any other appropriate manner, and the slide 49 has been clamped 0`n the frame 6 at the desired height. Furthermore, it is assumed that the pencil 44 has been vwithdrawn from engaging position with the aper 54 by a suitable manipulation of the nger 40 to cause the latter to engage the spring 39 and withdraw the pencil to the requisite degree. It' is also assumed that the spring 16 has been placed under suitable tension to completely wind the strand or line 55, further winding of the strand being prevented by the engagement of the ring 58 with the plate 57. The pencil is released by withdrawing the finger 40 from engagement with the spring 39 so that the point of the pencil bears upon the paper 54. The carriage 34 is free to be pushed for- Wardly byhand and in so doing produces a straight mark 66 across the paper 54. This markV indicates a horizontal line through that point in the surface directly under the center of the instrument. The slide is then drawn back until it is in contact with the `"nut 30 which is assumed to have been withdrawn to its fully retracted position. The target 5 on the rod 4 is set at a height equal tothe height of the sights 61, 63 of the in- 1,strument and the` strand or line 55 is attached to the rod by means of the ring 5S. The clamp 48 is released leavingthe frame 10 free to swing on its pivots or axis. An assistant carries the rod in a vertical position across the surface to be platted and the operator at the instrument keeps the sights or peeps 61 vand 63 directed toward the target, tilting the frame 10 up and down as needed. As the line 55 is drawn out it unwinds from the drum 22, thereby putting the spring 16 under additional tension, the initial tension being small. As the line is drawn out 'its passage about the sheave 25 causes theJ 'latterto rotateythereby, through the pinions27 and 29, rotating the screw 2S.' 'This causes the nut 30 to travel along the screw since the nut is held from rotation,

and engagement of the stud 32 with the stud 35 causes the carriage'34 to travel with the nut 30, thereby propelling the pencil 44 in yrthe same direction. The pencil being in contact with the paper 54 produces vaV mark 67 thereon, 'which mark is lan exact profile of the surface traversed by the assistant carrying the rod 4. When the profile has been completed the operator at 4the instrument withdraws the pencil 44 from contact with the paper 54, by rotating the finger 40 to an extent retracting the spring 39. The assistant then brings the rod back to the instrument, the tension of the spring 16 rewinding the line upon the drum or spool22. The instrument may then be turned on its vehicle axis in any desired direction, the tablet raised or lowered on the iframe 6 and another profile made on the same paper. When all the desired proles have been made at the one station, the whole instrument may be moved to another station and the operation repeated. Separate sheets of paper may be used or the paper may be in roll form so that long sheets of paper may be employed. Each profile is marked to indicate at what station it is made and whether to right or le'l't. The grade line of the proposed work is drawn on each profile at its proper distance above or below the horizontal line through the station and the area included between the profile line and the grade line is measured by a suitable instrument and the result used in computing the amount of cut or lill needed.

Without conning the instrument to any particular size or proportion of parts, it may be assumed that it is constructed so as to operate on the scale of one to ninety-six, or one-eighth of an inch to the foot and it may be further assumed that the line is sixty-five feet long and the pencil is so adjusted that its point is one-sixteenth of an inch ahead of the center of oscillation of the oscillatory frame. It is because the target rod, in an instrument of the dimensions assumed, starts one-half of a Jfoot from the center of the instrument that the pencil point must start one-sixteenth of an inch from the center or zero point on the paper.

In order to permit the ready changing of the scale upon which the instrument may operate, an arrangement such as shown in Fig. 5 may be adopted, without, however, limitation to such particular arrangement. Instead of the bevel gear wheel 27 and bevel pinion 29 there may be provided a series ot' crown gears 27 iu concentric arrangement and integrally united as a single gear wheel. Mounted on the screw 28 is a spur pinion 29a adjustable along the screw into meshing engagement with any one of the crown gears 27a. This permits a change in the ratio of transmission between the driving sheav@ 25 and the feed screw 28. Of course, any other suitable arrangement for the purpose may be employed.

That is claimed is 1. In a device of the class described, a support for location at a fixed point over the surface to be measured, a device movable to and from the support and adapted to be carried over the surface to be measured, a line for connection with the movable device7 and recording mechanism including a recordreceiving surface and a record-producing device for engaging the record-receiving surface, the record-producing device being connected to the line and movable thereby over the receiving surface and having an oscillatory mounting on the support, whereby the record-producing device may be oscillated in its travel over the record-receiving surface in conformity with changes in level of the device movable to and from the recording mechanism.

2. In a device of the class described, a support adapted to be located at a. fixed point over the surface to be measured, reco-rd-producing means having an oscillatory mounting `on the support and having a range of travel with respect to said support, a device having a record-receiving surface and mounted on the support in fixed relation thereto and also adapted to be engaged by the record-producing means, a device movable to and from the support and adapted to be carried over the surface to be measured, and a line connected with the movable device and with the record-producing means for actuating the latter, whereby variations in level of the surface over which the movable device is carried are indicated on the recordreceiving device by progressive movements of the record-producing means and oscillatory movements of the carrying means for said record-producing means.

3. In a device of the class described, a support adapted to be located at a fixed point over the surface to be measured, record-producing means having an oscillatory mounting on the support and having a range of travel with respect to said support, a device having a record-receiving surface and Vmounted on the support in fixed relation v thereto and also adapted to be engaged by the record-producing means, a device movable to and from the support and adapted to be carried over the surface to be measured, and a line connected with the movable device and with the record-producing means for actuating the latter, whereby variations in level of the surface over which the movable device is carried are indicated on the record-receiving device by Vprogressive movements of the record-producing means and oscillatory movements of the carrying means for said record-producing means, said carrying means having sighting means whereby the carrying means may be Y oscillated by an operator in accordance with the variations in level of the movable device. 4. In a device of the class described, a support, an oscillatory member mounted on the support. a line VcarriedV by the oscillatory member and extending therefrom, a device movable toward and from the oscillatory member Vand adapted to have the line attached to it, marking means on the oscillatory member andinounted to travel along the latter by the pull of the line and to oscillate with the oscillatory member, and record-receiving means carried by thesupport in fixed relation thereto and adapted to be engaged by the marking means in its progressive and oscillatory movements.

5. In a device of the class described, recording mechanism including record-receiving means and marking means therefor, and a rockable member carrying the marking means and said marking means being connected to the rockable member for travel tlierealong, means for imparting progressive movement to the marking means over the record-receiving means, and sighting means on the rockable means.

6. In a device of the class described, record producing means, recordreceiving means, a rockable carrier for the record-producing means, means for imparting progressive movement of the record-producing means along the record-receiving means, and sighting means for directing rocking movements of the rockable means during progressive movement of the record-producing means. y

7. In a device of the class described, a fixed support for a record-receiving tablet, and a marker holder movable across a tablet on the tablet support and mounted to rock on an axis perpendicular to a tablet mounted on the tablet support, and means for progressively moving the marker holder and a marker carried thereby across a tablet on the tablet support'.

8. In a device of the class described, a

fixed support for a record-receiving tablet,

and a marker holder movable across a tablet, on the tablet support and mounted to rock on an axis perpendicular to a tablet mounted on the tablet support, and means for progressively moving the marker holder and a marker carried thereby across a tablet on they tablet support, and sighting means associated with the rockable support for followmg movements of a distant object connected to and'actuating the marker holder.

9. In a device of the class described, a relatively fixed holder for a record sheet, a carrier for a marker movable across-the record sheet to produce a record mark thereon,

-a supporting member Vfor the marker carrier rockable about an `axis perpendicular to i "A the swivel head adjacent to the tablet holder with its axis `of rocking perpendicular to a tablet on the tablet holder, a

i spring actuated winding drum on the rockable memaber, a ksheave on the rockable member, a line connected to the winding drlun and directed about the sheave, a rod the rockable member to travel therealong,

` and connections between the sheave and the `2o on which the `marker carrier is mounted and along which it is movable, a marker on the marker carrier for causing movements of the marker across a record ytablet on the tablet holder by movements of the line actuating the winding drum.

:11. In a device of the class described, a holder for a record sheet, a marker carrier associated with the,V record sheet for producing a mark on the latter, a rockaible member carrier participating in the rocking movements of the rockable member, a line and connections .therefrom tothe marker carrier, a target movable toward and from the rockable member` and adapted to be connected to the line, and sighting means onv the rockable member for following the target in up and down movements of the latter by rocking the rockable member.

12. In a device of the class described, a

leveling head, a holder fora record sheet carried by the head, a rockable frame mounted on the head for movements about a y substantially horizontal axis when the head l is leveled, a marker ycarrier on the frame and movable therealong, a feed screw and nut onthe frame for engaging 'and propelling the marker carrier, a sheave and gearing be-V tweenthe sheave and feeding screw for actuating the latter bythe sheave, a spring ac tuated `winding drum mounted in the frame,

and a'line'connected to the drum and-car' y ried about the sheave fon actuating the latter in opposition to the spring when the line is drawn away. from the f-rame.

13. In a device of the class described, a leveling head, a holder for a record sheet carried'by Ithe head, a rockable frame mounted 1 `on the head for movements about a substanltiallyV horizontal axiswhen the head is leveled, a markercarrier on. the frame and i' movable therealong, a feed screw and nut on the frame for engaging and propelling the marker carrier, a s eave, gearmg between thesheave and feeding screw for actuating i the latter by the sheave, a spring actuated winding drum mounted in the frame, and a line connected to the drum and carried about the sheave` for actuating the latter in opposition to the spring when the line is drawn away from: .the frame, said frame being provided with spaced alined sighting means for permitting following variations in the level of a moving object connected to the line by rockin@ movements of the frame.

14. In a device of the class described, recording devlices comprising a tablet holder and a marker holder in associated relation, with a marker in the marker holder movable across a tablet in the tablet holder to produce a mark thereon, a rockalble support for the marker holder along which the marker holder is mounted to travel in a line perpendicular to the axis of rocking of the rockable member, a device movable to and from ythe recording mechanism and adapted to be carried over a surface to be measured, a line for connection with the movable device, and mechanism between the line and the marker holder for causing progressive movements of the latter along the rockable frame.

15. In a device of the class described, a leveling head including an upright yoke swiveled thereon, a tablet holder connected to the yoke and normally fixed thereto, a frame mounted at the upper end of the yoke for rockingmovements about an axis which is horizontal when the head is leveled, with the axis perpendicular to the face of a tablet carried by the tablet holder, a marker holder on and movable along the frame across the face of a tablet in the tablet holder, a screw mounted in the frame, a nut on the screw with the marker holder and nut having coacting parts for causing the nut to engage and propel the marker holder along the frame, gearing for actuating the screw, a sheave connected to the gearing, a winding drum and spring-actuating means therefor mounted in the frame, a line guided in the frame, extending about the sheave and wound on the drum, a rod and a target thereon for connection with the line and movable toward and from the frame, and sighti-ng means on the frame to permit view of the target by the eye of an observer by rocking movements of the frame, whereby the marker as propelled by the line and by participation in the rocking movements of the frame will produce upon the tablet a mark corresponding to the profile or contour of the surface traversed by the rod.

In testimony that I claim the foregoing as my own, I have hereto affixed my signature.

MARSHALL MOSES CRAM. Witnesses:

ELEONORA A. BAUCH, OLIVE GRIFFITH.

copies` of this patent may be obtained for tive cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents,

` 7 Y Washington, D. 0. 

